REDESCA publishes report on floods in Rio Grande do Sul and issues recommendations

April 30, 2025

Washington, DC—The Special Rapporteurship on Economic, Social, Cultural and Environmental Rights (REDESCA) of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) has published the report "Impacts of the Floods in Rio Grande do Sul: Observations and Recommendations for the Guarantee of Economic, Social, Cultural and Environmental Rights". The document presents observations and recommendations addressed to the Brazilian State, based on the working visit carried out between December 2 and 6, 2024, following one of the most severe socio-environmental tragedies in the country's recent history.

During the mission, led by Special Rapporteur Javier Palummo Lantes, the REDESCA team met with authorities, social movements, community leaders, members of the scientific community, and visited communities directly affected by the floods. The activities included meetings and technical visits in Brasília, Porto Alegre, Eldorado do Sul, and the Vale do Taquari region, including the municipalities of Estrela and Lajeado. The main objective was to document the impacts of the tragedy on economic, social, cultural, and environmental rights (ESCE rights), with a special focus on emergency response, mitigation actions, reconstruction processes, and climate change adaptation strategies.

The Special Rapporteurship highlights that more than 2.3 million people were affected by the floods that occurred between April and May 2024, resulting in 183 confirmed deaths, 27 missing persons, approximately 800 injured, and thousands of displaced families. The report reveals the disproportionate impacts on groups in situations of greater vulnerability, including girls and women, Afro-descendant persons, Indigenous peoples and traditional communities, persons with disabilities, older persons, LGBTQIA+ populations, migrants and refugees, as well as rural and informal workers.

The Special Rapporteurship recognizes the efforts made by the Brazilian State in responding to the tragedy, including the mobilization of financial resources, the creation of crisis management structures, the expansion of social programs, support for municipalities under a state of calamity, and the implementation of coordinated actions across federal, state, and municipal levels, in coordination with civil society and international organizations. Notably, the report highlights rescue operations, the prompt organization of humanitarian assistance, infrastructure reconstruction, and support for the affected population as key elements for mitigating the immediate damages of the catastrophe.

Based on the information gathered during the visit and the analysis of available data, the report identifies structural shortcomings that may have contributed to the severity of the impacts on ESCE rights. These include environmental degradation, agribusiness expansion, the weakening of environmental legislation, lack of maintenance of flood containment systems, and urban growth with low environmental resilience.

In light of this scenario, REDESCA reaffirms the urgency for the Brazilian State to consolidate climate justice as a guiding principle of its public policies, strengthening prevention, adaptation, and disaster response measures based on human rights. This requires reversing environmental regulatory setbacks, ensuring access to reliable information and combating disinformation, guaranteeing the effective participation of affected communities—including free, prior, and informed consultation with Indigenous peoples and traditional communities—and adopting inclusive policies that recognize and address the differentiated impacts experienced by historically marginalized groups.

The report highlights the impacts of the climate tragedy on workers across various sectors, particularly those in informal employment, such as people engaged in artisanal fishing, waste picking, app-based delivery, and artisanal production, who faced income loss and lack of social protection. Severe effects were also observed in rural communities, Indigenous peoples, and Quilombola communities, including increased food insecurity. REDESCA recommends advancing land titling for Quilombola territories, agrarian reform, and the demarcation of Indigenous lands, while firmly rejecting the "temporal framework" thesis.

Another critical issue identified by REDESCA is the violation of the human right to water, which was severely compromised by the floods. The overflow of sewage and contamination of water sources with chemical and biological substances—including agrotoxins—have seriously impacted rivers, lakes, and aquifers, posing significant public health risks. The Special Rapporteurship warns of the health threats arising from this situation and underscores the urgent need for structural resilience and prevention measures.

The Special Rapporteurship stresses the urgency of implementing structural measures to prevent new disasters in Rio Grande do Sul, grounded in the principles of climate justice and human rights. Key recommendations include modernizing hydrological monitoring and early warning systems, strengthening stormwater drainage and flood containment infrastructure, and reviewing and effectively implementing master plans and risk management strategies, ensuring broad and meaningful social participation. The Rapporteurship also proposes adopting Nature-Based Solutions (NbS), through the expansion of green infrastructure—such as urban parks, green roofs, and ecological corridors—and blue infrastructure—such as wetlands, natural drainage systems, and riverbank restoration—in coordination with the scientific community, local authorities, and affected populations.

REDESCA expresses its sincere appreciation to the Brazilian State for its openness and cooperation during the working visit and in relation to this report, reaffirming that extreme climate events, such as those in Rio Grande do Sul, are also reflections of social and institutional fragilities that require coordinated responses based on human rights. The Special Rapporteurship especially acknowledges the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Permanent Mission of Brazil to the Organization of American States (OAS), the National Council for Human Rights (CNDH), the Federal Public Defender's Office (DPU), the Federal Prosecution Service (MPF), and other public institutions, as well as the valuable contributions of civil society organizations and affected communities, whose engagement was essential to this report.

The Special Rapporteurship acknowledges the efforts made by the Brazilian State during the 2024 floods and emphasizes that the effective guarantee of human rights in the face of climate change requires strengthened preventive measures, social participation, and a commitment to sustainable and equitable practices. In this context, REDESCA reaffirms its commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of the climate emergency and expresses its availability to provide technical assistance, including the possible activation of a special follow-up mechanism, with the aim of monitoring and strengthening actions to protect ESCE rights in the face of climate change impacts.

The Special Rapporteurship on Economic, Social, Cultural and Environmental Rights is a mandate created by the IACHR to strengthen the promotion and protection of these rights across the Americas, leading the Commission's efforts in this area.

No. RD084/25

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